Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 25, 2023

Based on my own experience as a mentor and angel investor, I find that as many as ninety percent of startups fail in the first five years, despite their best efforts. Define key metrics to measure progress and success. Use comparable metrics for managing team member results.

Social Media 98

Social Media Metrics Media Tool 98

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 2, 2022

As a long-time mentor to entrepreneurs, here is my collection of smart risks that investors and I look for in new startups: Focus on a tough customer problem rather than a fun technology. Use metrics to measure results of marketing initiatives. Finding win-win deals is a manageable risk, versus a battle with one winner.

Resource 121

Resource Metrics Entrepreneur Technical Review 121

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 11, 2022

And then in the late 90’s money crept in, swept in to town by public markets, instant wealth and an absurd sky-rocketing of valuations based on no reasonable metrics. We wanted new things to exist and to solve new problems and to see our creations come to life.

Venture Capital 466

Venture Capital Startup LAMP Marketing 466

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 18, 2020

In my experience as a mentor, I find that keeping creative thinking in the balance is a challenge for every startup, due to the natural employee tendency to resist change. Using data metrics alone for decisions, without seeking the root problem and alternative solutions, kills creativity. Failure to learn.

Metrics 157

Metrics Demand Sales Statistics 157

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 2, 2020

Both Bill Gates and Warren Buffet , although extremely successful in their own domains, share a great relationship as mentors for each other in learning how to deal with today’s challenging business and social problems. Use metrics in lieu of feelings to measure progress. People who listen are always more resilient.

Startup 173

Startup Mentor Activity Entrepreneur 173

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2021

In my role as advisor and mentor to many new entrepreneurs, I often find myself suggesting that they think bigger. In the startup world, even the best-laid plans are probably wrong, so there is a need to be able to launch fast, have metrics in place to measure progress, learn from real customer feedback, and pivot as required.

Startup 162

Startup Metrics Ideas Entrepreneur 162

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 9, 2020

In my own business career, many years as a business advisor, and mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I have validated the following strategies to practice and guide you. Make sure that you implement a metric with each solution, to prevent the issue from recurring, and check for side effects and follow-on side effects.

Satisfaction 152

Satisfaction Mentor Study Startup 152

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 12, 2022

Implement metrics and set objectives for every organization. Growing the company means growing people through mentoring and training. Now the experiments are over, and high productivity is the objective. You can’t manage what you don’t measure. Balance your own life for the long haul.

Startup 137

Startup Training Entrepreneur Organization 137

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 28, 2021

Almost every entrepreneur and new business owner I mentor is certain that his/her idea has a very high probability of success, and all find it hard to believe that ninety percent of startups ultimately fail. I realized that he and I see several common patterns that account for a large percentage of new venture failures.

Technical Review 131

Technical Review Case Study Mentor Software Review 131

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 18, 2023

As a mentor to many entrepreneurs, I also encourage an entrepreneur exit focus early, and I really like the specific steps outlined in the classic book, “ Exit Signs ,” by Pamela Dennis, who has helped companies through this critical transition for decades. New startup founders keep all the operating metrics they need in their head.

Startup 99

Startup Entrepreneur Metrics Acquisition 99

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 26, 2022

As a mentor to many aspiring entrepreneurs, I’m often asked what it takes to get satisfaction from this lifestyle. Put it behind you by setting your own realistic metrics for success and happiness. Only 13 percent of workers are fully engaged in their job. The sad part is that it seems to be getting worse, rather than better.

Satisfaction 153

Satisfaction Entrepreneur Writing Metrics 153

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 15, 2020

Implement the key business metrices you will live by. Identify the three most important metrics your business must hit every week to achieve growth goals. Increase you focus on coaching, training, and mentoring. These are the timeless principles that must guide all hiring, marketing, and execution decisions.

Metrics 140

Metrics Entrepreneur Coach Satisfaction 140

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 8, 2020

As a long-time mentor to entrepreneurs, here is my collection of smart risks that investors and I look for in new startups: Focus on a tough customer problem rather than a fun technology. Use metrics to measure results of marketing initiatives. Finding win-win deals is a manageable risk, versus a battle with one winner.

Entrepreneur 129

Entrepreneur Resource Metrics Custom 129

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2023

Assess who you can get for value and mentoring. You may be comfortable driving your future based on vision and emotion, or have long been a stickler for details and metrics. You should pick an idea that you can hand off quickly to investors, or one you can grow as a legacy for your family. You make decisions from data, or from the gut.

Startup 94

Startup Ideas Metrics Entrepreneur 94

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 11, 2019

Unfortunately, many aspiring leaders I mentor are not aware of the signals people are looking for, or are not attuned to the subtleties of their own actions. Define metrics to measure what you want to achieve. Show humility while acting as a mentor and coach. Granting trust is a strong signal that motivates returning the favor.

Mentor 98

Mentor News Summary Metrics 98

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 30, 2022

They mentor each other, and seek out experts in domains outside their current expertise and experience. Using metrics to measure results and commitments. Assembling a winning team and delivering results. Here your challenge is to show that you can lead and motivate others to make things happen.

Startup 113

Startup Customer Custom Technical Review 113

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 4, 2021

The last thing they can afford is to waste any of these, but in my mentoring and coaching activities, I see it happening all too often. Productive processes start with a plan, and end with metrics that measure value delivered. Every entrepreneur I know is short on resources, including time, money, and skills.

Startup 161

Startup Resource Training Entrepreneur 161

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2022

Even after many years mentoring entrepreneurs and advising businesses, I continue to be surprised by the primary focus on products and processes, and the often incidental attention to hiring and nurturing the right people. Use data analysis and metrics to measure for results. Subjectively measuring employee engagement.

Tool 121

Tool Statistics Entrepreneur Metrics 121

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 9, 2021

As a mentor to many entrepreneurs, I also encourage an entrepreneur exit focus early, and I really like the specific steps outlined in the classic book, “ Exit Signs ,” by Pamela Dennis, who has helped companies through this critical transition for decades. New startup founders keep all the operating metrics they need in their head.

Startup 173

Startup Entrepreneur Metrics Acquisition 173

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2022

For example , Bill Gates shared a mentoring relationship with Warren Buffett that increased the credibility of both, although their business domains were quite different. Proactively use metrics and customer feedback before a crisis hits, to recognize when a pivot or product adjustment is required.

Marketing 133

Marketing Custom Customer Outsource Development 133

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 14, 2023

Cash flow is a basic survival metric for every startup. As a mentor to many entrepreneurs and startups, here are my best recommendations for keeping the burn rate low, planning ahead and maintaining credibility with investors: Manage cash flow personally every day. Desperate entrepreneurs lose their leverage and die young.

Search Engine Optimization 103

Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media Equity 103

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2019

Image via Pixabay As a mentor to many small business owners, I always caution them that you can never relax completely, just because your initial solution or product set appears to be getting traction, and the market buzz is positive. Document processes and metrics for economies of scale.

Metrics 86

Metrics Startup Training Customer 86

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 19, 2021

As a mentor, my mission is to recommend actions that can strengthen your image with investors and peers, as well as help you get the startup job done. Define and use real metrics to measure progress. In my view, it starts with your communication of real personal values , and ends your focus on results. Don’t play the blame game.

Custom 157

Custom Customer Metrics Ideas 157

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 25, 2022

Thus, over the years of my mentoring and consulting efforts with entrepreneurs, I have a key list of practices that I recommend to everyone starting and growing a business. Use metrics on key deliverables to assure quality results. Big growth takes big investment.

Startup 134

Startup Training Tool Demand 134

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 5, 2022

As a mentor to business professionals, I find that many are frustrated that peers and managers don’t recognize the true value of their contributions. It is important to set the expectations for success early, as well as the appropriate metrics. Communicate the criteria for success early and often.

Examples 133

Examples Metrics Startup Customer 133

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 8, 2011

To give visibility to these companies to: Sources of funding (angels / VCs), business development partners, mentors who have themselves built successful companies, the press and potential employees to hire. One senior mentor to Launchpad LA recently said, “I got more out of Launchpad LA than I even put in.

Venture Capital 287

Venture Capital Funding Startup GRP Partners 287

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 1, 2022

In my role as a mentor, I challenge every business leader to be more open-minded as they face the challenges of change and new competitors entering their space. Put metrics in place to track decision results. You may be surviving in the marketplace, but is your business really thriving and winning?

Technical Review 120

Technical Review Custom Customer Social Media 120

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 2, 2019

Based on my own experience in large and small businesses, as well as mentoring entrepreneurs, here is my list of behaviors which will keep you ahead of the pack: Focus on managing relationships more than tasks. That means a priority on coaching and mentoring, as well as training and tools, before focusing on results metrics.

Tips 97

Tips Mentor Coach Metrics 97

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 15, 2020

Implement metrics and set objectives for every organization. Growing the company means growing people through mentoring and training. Now the experiments are over, and high productivity is the objective. You can’t manage what you don’t measure. Balance your own life for the long haul.

Startup 125

Startup Training Entrepreneur Organization 125

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 14, 2015

In my perspective as an advisor and mentor to many entrepreneurs, there are a set of basic strategies that can be applied to every startup to dramatically improve the odds of success, no matter what the business domain. Define metrics to keep on track for the journey.

Startup 101

Startup Metrics Resource Mentor 101

socalTECH

AUGUST 28, 2017

The last thing, is you really need to understand what your business metrics are, and make sure you are looking at the most important metrics. Don't be enamored with vanity metrics like for us, growth of photos.

Technical Advisors 100

Technical Advisors Technical Review Metrics Startup 100

socalTECH

JUNE 1, 2012

We will be opening up a a round of funding soon, as soon as we have some metrics and have been live in the market, and hope to raise some money and capital in the next thirty days. The big thing for us has been those connections to investors and mentors. The feedback, mentors, and connections are amazing.

CTO Coach 223

CTO Coach Startup Mobile Artificial Inteligence 223

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 25, 2018

Establish metrics on the culture, as well as the product. These metrics need the same top management attention as customer retention and sales metrics. Recruit, mentor, and promote talent to highlight opportunity. Healthy cultures have high morale, as well as low turnover, high rates of retention, and attract top talent.

Metrics 57

Metrics Startup Netflix Custom 57

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2020

It’s your job as a leader to be the model high performer, quantify the team view with metrics, and expand awareness to the best outside competition and new tools. Attract, train, and reward only the best leaders.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Layoffs Social Media Organization 124

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2020

Cash flow is a basic survival metric for every startup. As a mentor to many entrepreneurs and startups, here are my best recommendations for keeping the burn rate low, planning ahead and maintaining credibility with investors: Manage cash flow personally every day. Desperate entrepreneurs lose their leverage and die young.

Search Engine Optimization 124

Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media Equity 124

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 5, 2020

As a mentor to entrepreneurs, I tend to see many of the same obstacles appearing in every new startup, and since I don’t want to appear to be a downer , I’m not sure how to properly warn people ahead of time to be on the alert for these challenges. Keep your plan updated, and don’t be caught off guard.

Startup 131

Startup Entrepreneur Customer Custom 131

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 13, 2020

As a mentor to entrepreneurs over the years, I see many of you who don’t communicate enough, others who seem to do all the talking, and some that are hesitant to be direct and open. You as the leader have a responsibility to define goals, strategy, and operational metrics. Always open to be influenced by new information.

Startup 124

Startup Ideas Examples .Net 124